MSU hosts ribbon-cutting ceremony for updated Cooper Hall
Morehead State University is updating and re-opening a long-standing residence hall as part of its campus revitalization plan.
MSU hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house for Cooper Hall on Friday, March 28.
Cooper Hall, the 35,000-square-foot facility built in 1965 and named in honor of former U.S. Senator John Sherman Cooper, has 177 beds and collaborative spaces and has undergone a $10.8 million renovation. The hall opens to students in August 2025.
Kim Oatman, chief facilities and operations officer and associate vice president, said reopening Cooper Hall will have many nice amenities and provide a better living and learning environment for students the heart of campus. It now includes an added elevator, chair lift and other modifications to make the building more accessible. Other updates include tile floors and walls, renovated bathrooms, an updated common kitchen area, and all new mechanical, electric and plumbing systems.
Russell Mast, vice president for student affairs, said living in an environment like Cooper Hall will improve the overall campus experience while increasing chances for college success.
“Our goal is to provide quality housing options to our students and the opportunity to live, learn and grow on campus,” he said.
MSU President Dr. Jay Morgan said an improved and modernized Cooper Hall is another big step in moving the campus forward. With updates to other halls and two new residence halls set to be added in the coming years, current and future Eagles will be even happier with their housing options.
“We’re in the middle of massive upgrades to our housing portfolio,” President Morgan said. “In addition to our two new halls that we’re building, I’m going to call this one our third one. I’m going to call it new because it looks so good.”
Brady Lawson, president of the Student Government Association, said the re-opening of Cooper Hall is sparking energy on campus and a great feeling for what’s to come. Lawson is a senior political science major from Ezel.
"The opening of a newly renovated residence hall to campus demonstrates Morehead State University’s commitment to our campus marching forward and our students soaring higher," Lawson said. "I'm ecstatic to be cutting the ribbon on a residence hall that will serve students well for years to come."
Find information about this and other ongoing campus revitalization projects at www.moreheadstate.edu/forward.
To learn more about on-campus housing at MSU, contact the Office of Student Housing and Residence Education at housing@moreheadstate.edu or 606-783-2060.
